Building structures



Aug. 14, 1962 M. DOBBINS ETAL BUILDING STRUCTURES 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 27, 1958 lA/vavro/rs fffl/FK 0055mm @6197 c. flaw/off Aug. 14, 1962 M. DOBBINS ETAL 3,049,198

BUILDING STRUCTURES l/v Ma ra/f5 Mme/r 0055mm 3,049,198 Patented Aug. '14, 1962' 3,049,198 BUILDING STRUCTURES Mark Dobbins, Detroit, Mich., Joseph J. Gruber, Depew, N.Y., and Robert Repp, Detroit, and Bert E. Rockhotr", Grosse Pointe, Mich., assignors to Fenestra, Incorporated, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Michigan Filed Oct. 27, 1958, Ser. No. 769,809 1 Claim. (Cl. 189-34) The present invention relates to building structures, and in particular to a metal building panel wherein the panel serves as a roof or floor of a building structure.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a metal building panel for use in the construction of the roof or floor of a building with the panel having an upstanding web or leg stiffened with vertical ribs adjacent each end,

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a metal building panel for use in the construction of the roof or floor of a building with the panels forming ducts for the reception of lighting fixtures and the panels having access apertures into the ducts.

It is still a further object of the present invention to provide a novel method of roll forming the metal buildiug panel by passing an elongated sheet of metal through a series of rolls in a direction along the length of the sheet and forming a rib at right angles to the direction in which the metal is traveling and adjacent each end of the panel.

It is still a further object of the present invention to provide a novel method of roll forming the metal building panel by passing an elongated sheet of metal through a series of rolls in a direction along the length of the sheet and piercing access apertures with a punch, with the punch moving in a direction at right angles to the direction in which the metal is traveling,

Other objects and features of the invention will become apparent as the description proceeds, especially when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, illustrating preferred embodiments of the invention, wherein:

FIGUE 1 is a perspective view partly in section and partly broken away, showing the metal building panel forming the roof or floor of a building structure with the underside of the panel forming a ceiling.

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of the metal panel.

FIGURE 3 is a section of the metal panel taken through the stiffening r-ib adjacent an end.

FIGURE 4 is a side view of one end of the panel.

FIGURE 5 is a section through line 5-5, FIGURE 3.

FIGURE 6 is a diagrammatic view of the roll forming, cut-01f, piercing and rib forming apparatus.

FIGURE 7 is a side view of the apparatus shown in FIGURE 6.

FIGURE 8 is a plan view partly in section and partly broken away of the cut-off, rib forming and aperture piercing dies, taken through the line 8-8, FIGURE 7.

FIGURE 9 is a sectional view partly broken away, taken through line 9-9, FIGURE 8, showing the cut-oil punch and rib forming die in retracted position.

FIGURE 10 is the sectional view shown in FIGURE 9 with the cut-off punch and rib forming die in the position after severing the panel and forming the rib.

FIGURE 11 is a view taken through the line 11-11, FIGURE 8 showing the aperture piercing punch after piercing the structure.

FIGURE 12 is a top view of one end of a modified panel.

Referring now to the drawings there ts illustrated generally at a roof or floor construction formed from a plurality of elongated metal building panels 22 placed in side by side relation with the male lap 24 at one terminal edge of a panel fitting into the groove 26 of an adjacent panel. The panels are secured together by welding as at 27. The material of the panel is bent downward as at 28 to form the upstanding leg or web 30. The material is further bent at 32 in a direction parallel to the horizontal plate or flange portion 34 and return bent at 36 and 38 to form the foot portions 40 and 42 of a double thickness of metal. Ribs 44 extend lengthwise of the panel and serve to stiffen flange 34.

If desired, tiles or acoustical boards 50 may be laid on portions 40 and 42 of adjacent panels to provide a finished ceiling. Lighting fixture 52 may be installed in duct 54 formed by two adjacent panels to provide recessed lighting. The diffuser plate 56 encloses the duct. The panels can be covered by roofing material 57 to provide a finished roof.

To provide access to the duct 54, apertures 58 and 59 are provided adjacent one end of the panel.

The panels may be of any convenient length to span adjacent structure supports such as members 60 with the surface 62 adjacent each end of the panels resting on the members 60.

Adjacent each end of the panels 22 rib 64 is formed as an integral part of the web 30. The rib is semi-circular in shape and extends from adjacent the portion 40 to adjacent the groove 26 in a direction at right angles t a plane through surface 62 extending the length of the panel.

The loads carried by the assembly of panels are transferred through the panels to the supporting members 60. The rib functions to refinforce or stiffen the web 30 in transferring web shear to the supporting members, when the rib is in position over supporting members. When rib 64 is formed, the metal along the terminal end of web 30 is pulled in toward the rib 64 as at 66 allowing the rib to be formed without any distortion or thinning of metal in a plane through the surface of web 30. It will be understood that thinning of the web or distortion of the Web out of the vertical plane would weaken the web. This is completely avoided by the present construction.

The panels may be fabricated from steel, aluminum, or any suitable material. The material can be cut to the desired length and Width and formed by a press or the material can be furnished to the desired width in elongated strips rolled into coils and formed by passing the strip through a series of rolls in a roll forming apparatus.

FIGURE 6 is a diagrammatic illustration of the apparatus used in the preferred method of forming a strip of material to its desired shape, cutting the strip to a predetermined length, forming the reinforcing ribs and piercing the access apertures to fabricate the panel of the present invention automatically in a continuous operation.

Shown generally at 70 is a roll forming apparatus having a plurality of pairs of power driven rolls 72. A coil of material 74 of a predetermined desired width is mounted for free rotation adjacent one end of the apparatus with the material being withdrawn from the coil as it passes through the rolls. The outer periphery of the pairs of rolls are of a shape so that as the material passes through the apparatus the material is progressively formed to the cross-sectional shape as illustrated in FIGURE 2 as it emerges from the end pair of rolls 76. The shaped material 78 emerges in a continuous strip until the coil 74 has been used up.

After passing through roll forming apparatus the shaped strip of material 78 enters the cut-off, rib forming and hole piercing apparatus generally indicated at 90. The apparatus has aperture piercing dies 92 and 93 and a combination cut-oh" and rib forming die 94.

The die 94, as best seen in FIGURES 8-10, has a lower die block 96 with its outer surface shaped to the contour of the flange portion 34. A slot 98 is cut through the block 96. A knife-like punch 100 is held in the upper die block 102. The upper die block 102 is mounted to travel, in a direction at right angles to the travel of strip 78, on ways 103 which are attached on the head portion 104 of the die. Punch 100 has teeth-like portions 105 which enable it to pierce the metal of the strip 78 and in cooperation with the edges of slot 98 shear through the metal, breaking the slug of material into a plurality of pieces that fall down through the slot and out of the machine. The slot is widened away from the shearing edge to allow the slugs to pass freely through.

At each side of the slot 98 and in a slide 106 movable in the die block 96 are cut'out portions or recesses 107. Carried by the upper die block 102 are forming rib portions 108. The portions 108 are shaped so that in cooperation with cut-out portions 107 the ribs 64 will be formed when the die is in the position shown in FIG- URE 10.

To allow the strip 78 to progress through the die after the ribs 64 are formed, the slide 106 is provided carrying the cut-out portions 107. Slide 106 moves in die block 96 and is actuated by cam 110. The cam has cam- Im'ng surfaces 112 and 114 which contact portion 116 attached to slide 106. Cam 110 is attached to die block 104 and moves upwardly and downwardly with the upper die block, allowing the slide to move out of the way of the rib.

As the upper die block is moved downwardly, it is cammed to the left by ways 117 attached to the lower die block, slidable in guide grooves 118 on a projection 119 extending downwardly from upper die block 102.

, Hole piercing dies 92 and 93 are of a similar construction and have a punch portion 120 and a die portion 122. The shape and size of the punch 120 and die 122, and the location of the [dies 92 and 93 on the apparatus conforms to the shape and size of the holes 58 and 59 as shown in FIGURE 2, and give the desired spacing of the holes from the end of the panel.

To begin the fabricating operation, the strip of material is uncoiled from the roll 74 and fed into rolls 72. As the series of rolls 72 are power driven, the material emenges from rolls 76 having the desired cross-sectional shape of the finished panels 22. Operating the rolls at a reduced speed, the strip 78 is fed through the dies 92 and 93 and the die '94, with the material continuing along conveyor rolls (not shown) located at the end of the apparatus. Suitable actuating devices are located on the conveyor in a position which will allow the end of the strip to actuate them, the devices 'being adaptable for adjustment along the length of the conveyor, and the location of the devices determines the length of the completed panel.

After the initial end of the strip has been ted through the dies 92, 93 and 94, the apparatus 70 can .be operated at any suitable speed desired consistent with the proper functioning of the apparatus.

When the end of the strip actuates the devices, the

dies 92, 93 and 94 are set in motion through the power press generally indicated at 130.

The power press 130 has a base portion 132 and a head portion 134. The head portion is adapted to move toward and away from the base portion and is actuated by power means (not shown) positioned in the base. The head is drawn downwardly by the bars 136 which also guide the head. Y

The upper die block portion 104 of the die 94 is attached to the head 134 by means of ways 138 positioned at each side of the head. The lower die block 96 is attached to the base 132 by ways 140 positioned at each side of the base. The upper and lower die blocks are guided in their movement toward and away from each other, when the press is operated, by the guide bars 142.

, With the strip emerging from the roll forming apparaattached to die 94 at 149 and moves the die along the.

ways 138 and 140 on the press. The air cylinder is adapted to move the die through the piston and piston rod at the same rate of speed at which the strip of material 78 is moving. When the die 94 is moving at the same rate of speed as the strip 78, the press 130 operates and the head moves toward the base carrying the upper die block 102 of the die with it. As the upper die block is moved towards the lower die block 96, the

upper die block also moves from right to left on head.

104 as seen in FIGURES 9 and 10 on ways 103 by means of the Ways 117 which are attached to the lower die block which are received in grooves 118 in projection 119, and which functions as a cam.

As the upper die block moves toward the lower die block and from right to left, the punch severs the strip 78. Immediately after strip is severed, the die portions 108 form the ribs 64.

By forming the rib after the strip is severed, the metal is allowed to be pulled in from the edge as seen at 66 in FIGURE 4, preventing distortion which would occur if the rib were formed before the strip was severed.

The press is adapted to make one cycle or revolution each time it is actuated and after the severing and forming operation the head 134 immediately returns to the starting position with the upper die block returning to the position shown in FIGURE 9. At this point in the operation the die 94 has traveled along the ways :1'38 and to a position indicated approximately by the dotted lines in FIGURE 7. The air cylinder 146 then moves the die 94 through the piston and piston rod 148 to its starting position as shown in FIGURE 7 Where it dwells until the next sequence of operations is started.

The cut-off and forming operation severs the strip 78 to desired lengths and forms a rib 64 adjacent each side '166 is attached to shaft 168 at one end and at its opposite end to arm 162 through pin 170. The arm 162 and lever 166 are free for rotational movement on the pin.

The shaft 168 is attached to lower die block 96 through bracket 172 and is free to rotate in the bracket. Through this arrangement when die 94 moves along ways 138 and 140, dies 92 and 93 move with die 94 along way 172 which is an extension of Way 140 and Way 174 which extends parallel and is of the same length as ways 140' and 172 combined.

When die portion 104 moves downwardly with die head 13'4, arm 162 rocks shaft 168 through lever 166 in a counterclockwise rotation as viewed in FIGURE 11.

Gear teeth 178 on shaft 168 mesh with rack teeth 180 on punch 120 moving the punch from right to left as viewed in FIGURE 11, piercing the aperture 58 of the panel.

The punching operation is timed in unison with the rib forming operation. After the punching operation is completed the punch 120 is retracted with the movement of the upper die block 102 when it returns to its raised position.

Extension shaft *182 is connected to die 92 through coupling 184, and to die 93 through coupling 186. Die

93 functions to pierce aperture 59 by rotation of shaft '182 in the same manner as previously described for die 92 and in unison with die 92. It will be noted that the apertures will be pierced adjacent one end only of the 1 finished panel and the spacing of the aperture from the end of the panel can be adjusted by varying the length of the shafts 168 and 182.

FIGURE 12 shows a modified form of the invention. The ribbing 200 of the panel 202 extends criss-cross on the flange portion 20-; to form an X shaped pattern. The ribbing is formed on the roll forming apparatus previously described by substituting an appropriate pair of rolls in the apparatus, for the pair of rolls which form the longitudinally extending ribs 44. It will be noted that the ribs extend at an angle to the side edges of the panel 202 and also at an angle to the direction of flow of the metal through the rolls. Thus when the ribs 200 are formed the material is drawn or stretched. The ribs 44 extend parallel to the side edges of the panel 22 and in line with the direction of flow of the material through the rolls. Thus, when the ribs 44 are formed the material is moved laterally from the side edges to the ribs with no stretching of the metal. Therefore, a wider strip of material is required to roll the panel 22 than is required to roll panel 202 with each panel having the same lateral dimensions. The panel 202 provides stiffening ribs with the use of less material than used with panel 22. The plate portion of the panel is supported so that the ribs 200 are actually drawn, with resultant stretching and thinning of the metal.

The drawings and the foregoing specification constitute a description of the improved building structures in such full, clear, concise and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to practice the invention, the scope of which is indicated by the appended claim.

aaisa What we claim as our invention is:

A building panel comprising a horizontal plate portion, a vertical web portion extending downwardly from one edge of said plate portion, a foot extending laterally from the lower edge of said web portion, the material of said Web portion directly adjacent the ends thereof being shaped to form elongated vertical indented ribs extending substantially the full height of said web portion, but having upper and lower ends spaced respectively slightly below and above the upper and lower edges of said web portion, said ribs being sufiiciently close to the ends of said web so that the material of the Web between said ribs and the ends of said web is displaced inwardly and the material of said ribs thereby being of the same thickness as the remainder of said web.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,151,375 Murphy Aug. 24, 1915 2,121,269 Sisson June 21, 1938 2,142,110 Calkins et al Jan. 3, 1939 2,217,090 Zerbe Oct. 8, 1940 2,752,672 Tolman July 3, 1956 2,773,718 Behlen Dec. 11, 1956 2,832,300 Jacobson Apr. 29, 1958 2,899,028 Walker Aug. 11, 1959 FOREIGN PATENTS 743,672 France Ian. 16, 1933 

